Strong thunderstorms moved through the center of the nation on Friday, as a low pressure system and associated cold front continued trekking eastward across the Plains. The low pressure system moved from the Northern Plains into the Great Lakes, and created a cold front that stretched from the Upper Midwest through the Mid-Mississippi River Valley, into the southern Plains. Abundant moisture from the Gulf of Mexico feed energy into this system, which allowed for strong thunderstorms to develop from northern Texas through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. There was a slight chance of severe thunderstorm development in these areas, but severe storms have not yet developed. However, areas of heavy rainfall caused flooding across eastern Oklahoma through Arkansas. Heaviest precipitation was reported in Fort Sill, Oklahoma with a mid-day total of 5.58 inches of rain.

Meanwhile in the far Northeast, a low pressure system off the coast of New England continued moving northward into far eastern Canada. Flow around this system picked up moisture from the Atlantic Ocean and brought heavy rainfall to Maine, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.

Out West, monsoonal moisture over the Southwest will maintain shower and thunderstorm activity from New Mexico through Arizona and southern California. Flood warnings have been issued for most of the Southwest. To the north, high pressure over the Northwestern states created a dry and warm day on Friday. This increased fire danger over the Pacific Northwest, Intermountain West, and Northern Rockies.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Friday have ranged from a morning low of 35 degrees at Saranac Lake, N.Y. to a midday high of 100 degrees at China Lake, Calif.